


Third Earth

by pigeonking



Series: The Missing Doctor Adventures - Season Two [3]
Category: Doctor Who, Thundercats (1985)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-12-13 15:44:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11763096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pigeonking/pseuds/pigeonking
Summary: This is what the Doctor and Bex got up to whilst Clover was stuck on Earth with the Master...





	Third Earth

“Not that I’m complaining, but who uses a TARDIS to pop down the road for a pint of milk?” Bex mused thoughtfully as she clung to the central console.

The Doctor looked up from his corner of the console as he was steering the TARDIS through the vortex.

“Yes, I know we could have just walked, but where’s the fun in that?” the Doctor argued with a grin.

“This way we get to have a few adventures along the way and we can be back in time to put fresh milk on Clover’s corn flakes before she even knows we were gone.”

“She knows we’ve gone, Doctor!” Bex replied with a crooked smile. “She waved us off as we left. And by my reckoning we’ve been gone for about three weeks now!”

“My dear, Bex… Are you forgetting that this is a time machine?” the Doctor answered her with a raised eyebrow.

“A time machine that has a mind of its own!” Bex shot back at him. “Even Ramona knew you wouldn’t be back in time. I saw her slipping on her jacket to go to the shops before we left.”

“That’s not true!” the Doctor responded defensively. “I most certainly could get us back in time if I wanted to and I bet I could get us back before Ramona gets back too!”

Bex leaned over the console and threw him a mischievous grin.

“Oh yeah?” she said. “Prove it!”

The Doctor looked back at her and met her challenging gaze with a wry smile.

“Alright, I will!” he declared and he proceeded to flick switches and dials with determined abandon.

 

The blue rectangular shape of the TARDIS slowly manifested itself at the perimeter of a huge forest that bordered with a luscious green grassy plain, its arrival heralded by a howling and grinding noise that disturbed the birds in the nearby trees and sent them fluttering into the clear blue sky.

A few moments after the police box had solidified the right hand door opened and the Doctor and Bex emerged.

The Doctor pulled the door shut behind him as he took in the wild beauty of their surroundings, seemingly unperturbed by the fact that this clearly wasn’t Allen Road.

“Way to go, Doc. I’m sorry I ever doubted you!” Bex drawled sardonically.

“Button it, you!” the Doctor fired back, but he was smiling as he said it.

“So where do you think we are?” Bex wondered. “Or rather when… this does look like Earth.”

“Appearances can be deceiving, but would you believe me if I told you that I haven’t a clue?” the Doctor answered.

“Wouldn’t doubt you for a second!” Bex assured him.

“That’s the spirit!” the Doctor grinned and he ruffled a hand through Bex’s short dark hair.

“Hey!” Bex protested and she proceeded to reset it to her preferred styling. “So we gonna take a look around or are we gonna get back in the TARDIS and try again?”

The Doctor just looked at her with a ‘what do you think?’ expression and started walking away from the TARDIS with his hands dug deep into the pockets of his grey cashmere coat.

“Ask a silly question!” Bex muttered to herself as she took off after him.

They walked together in relative silence through the tall grass of the plain for about ten minutes before they saw any form of life.

It was Bex that spotted the strange looking flying vehicle that was gliding towards them at great speed over the horizon.

“That doesn’t look like a product of Earth technology.” The Doctor mused as he peered at the craft. He rummaged through an inner pocket of his coat and produced an ornate looking brass telescope. He put the eye piece to his right eye and focussed the lens on the approaching vehicle and its rider.

The creature on the craft resembled a large muscular humanoid with simian features, wearing medieval style armour and a loin cloth, as well as a helmet on his head with a spike in the top of it.

“Certainly not human either!” the Doctor surmised.

“Do you think they’re friendly?” Bex wondered.

Before the Doctor could answer the craft suddenly started to dive towards them and a barrage of lethal energy blasts began to emit from the nose of the vehicle.

“I would say distinctly not friendly!” the Doctor shouted as he and Bex dived to one side.

The first barrage struck the ground near where they had been standing and sent clods of earth flying in all directions.

Bex and the Doctor scrambled to their feet and began to run.

The creature in the air was turning his craft to make another pass.

“Ooh ooh! If you surrender now I’ll go easy on you!” he called down.

“I hope you don’t mind if I don’t quite believe you!” the Doctor called back. He was reaching into his coat again and this time he pulled out his sonic sword.

He turned and pointed it into the air and as the sky vehicle came in to strafe them once more the Doctor activated the sonic component of his sword.

The bottom of the flier exploded in a shower of sparks and smoke and the craft began to nose dive towards the ground. Just before it crashed the monkey creature leapt off and landed in a crouch safely in the grass.

The vehicle hit the ground and exploded into smithereens.

However, the Doctor and Bex were not out of danger yet. The monkey man took out a weapon that resembled a morning star… a spiked ball on the end of a long chain… and he began swinging it dangerously around his head.

The Doctor took one look at the creature’s skill with the weapon and lowered the sonic sword.

“RUN!” he shouted.

Bex didn’t need to be told twice.

“You can’t get away from me that easily! Ooh ooh!” the creature assured them as it bounded after them.

Bex somehow contrived to buck her foot upon a stone hidden within the tall grass and she fell forward, throwing her hands out before her as she did so to try and cushion the fall, whilst simultaneously cursing herself inwardly for being that doofus that falls over while being chased.

She turned to get up and saw that monkey man was standing over her with his big spiky ball spinning around his head.

“Now I’ve got you, girly! Ooh ooh!” he taunted her and Bex couldn’t help but cringe at his turn of phrase.

“Jesus Christ! Who the fuck writes your dialogue?” she winced.

Then she just saw the spiky ball flying towards her head…. And an orange blur suddenly appeared from the right and monkey man wasn’t standing there anymore.

Monkey man was on his ass and his morning star was gone and there was an uber hot chick in an orange leotard standing over him with his weapon in one hand and a long yellow fighting staff in the other.

The monkey man just took one look at the uber hot chick, fear readily apparent in his simian features and he scrambled to his feet and took off at a run in the opposite direction.

Hot chick just watched him go before turning her attention to Bex.

If Bex had found her hot from the rear… and it was quite a rear… then the front was even more striking. The woman’s skin was a tawny yellow like a wild cat with long blonde hair that was patterned with dark black spots like a cheetah. A red circular logo adorned the breast of her leotard, depicting the silhouette of a stylised cat’s head. Bex decided that this was what love at first sight must feel like.

“Your safe now.” The woman assured her with a wicked smile that showed off sharp canine teeth and Bex realised that this woman must be some sort of humanoid cat. She set aside the morning star and reached out her now freed hand to help Bex back to her feet.

Behind them the Doctor had realised that Bex was no longer with him and was heading back to join them.

“Thanks, I owe you one… er…” Bex was blushing profusely as she realised she didn’t know cute cat girl’s name.

“My name is Cheetara and you are welcome.” Cheetara replied again with that predatory smile.    

“Well, thank you, anyway, Cheetara.” Bex smiled warmly and realised that she was still holding onto Cheetara’s hand. She let it go almost too quickly, but Cheetara did not appear to notice. “My name is Bex and this is my friend, the Doctor.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Cheetara!” the Doctor said, offering her his hand to shake. “Are you a Thunderan? I guess that must mean we’re on Thundera!”

Cheetara accepted his hand and shook it, but her previously smiling face darkened with a frown at the mention of Thundera.

“I am a Thunderan, but this is not Thundera.” She replied sadly. “My home planet was lost long ago!”

“I’m sorry.” Bex said sincerely, her heart breaking a little for her beautiful feline saviour.

“This planet is called Third Earth and it is the new home of the last of the Thundercats.” Cheetara continued, smiling graciously at Bex’s sympathy.

“Was that monkey guy one of the locals?” Bex wondered.

Cheetara shook her head. “That was Monkian, one of the evil Mutants that followed us to this planet after we escaped the destruction of Thundera. It is thanks to them that there are so few of us Thundercats remaining!” she explained bitterly.

“But there are more of you?” the Doctor asked.

As they spoke the sound of approaching engines filled the air and for a moment the Doctor and Bex feared that it might be more Mutants.

“Yes.” Cheetara answered the Doctor with a grin. “And here comes one of them now!”

The Doctor and Bex turned to see a large, formidable looking armoured vehicle heading their way. The roof canopy of the vehicle was pulled back allowing them to see the driver. He was a big, muscular cat man with grey skin and pointed ears and appeared to be completely bald.

The cat man skilfully brought the mighty vehicle to a standstill mere feet from them and leapt out of the cockpit to land in a crouch beside the Doctor.

Now that he was out of the big tank thing Bex could see that the man was wearing some kind of blue tunic with spiked studs on the shoulder straps. He bore the same cat logo on his belt and a pair of blue and red nunchaku were sheathed at his side.

“Well met, Cheetara!” the newcomer greeted his friend with an easy smile. “Who are your new friends?”

“This is the Doctor and Bex.” Cheetara answered him. “And this is my good friend, Panthro. He’s the one who’ll be driving you back to our Cats’ Lair so that you can meet the other Thundercats.”

“Sounds good to me!” the Doctor beamed. “No time like the present, eh?”

 

In the middle of a vast desolate desert wasteland there stood an ornately dark pyramid surrounded on each of its four corners by towering stone monoliths that crackled with mystical lightning. The sky above the pyramid was perpetually darkened by ominous looking clouds that allowed no sunlight to penetrate to the desert ground below.

Inside this pyramid a wizened mummified and corpse-like figure stood in front of a bubbling scrying pool through which it observed the meeting between the Thundercats and these two new strangers that had arrived in their mysterious blue box. The mummy figure was shrouded in a hooded red cloak and his malevolent blazing red eyes glowered from within at the departing Thundertank. This was Mumm-Ra, the Ever Living evil Litch Lord of Third Earth.

“So!” he rasped. “The Thundercats have some new allies do they.”

He swiped a clawed hand over the scrying pool and the image changed to one of the blue box at the edge of the forest.

“This blue box intrigues me.” He remarked to himself. “I sense a great power emanating from within this object. I would learn more of it!”

Once more he swiped his claw over the pool and the bloated, scaly face of the Mutants’ reptilian leader, Slythe, swam into vision.

“Slythe, I have need of you and your Mutant rabble!” Mumm-Ra declared.

“What is it now, Mumm-Ra?” Slythe sneered impatiently.

“There is a blue box of interest to me at the eastern edge of the Forest of Silence. I would like you and your Mutants to procure it for me and bring it to my pyramid.” Mumm-Ra explained.

“Why don’t you fetch it yourself if you want it so badly, yessss?” Slythe demanded.

“I intend to obtain the owner of the box so that I may force him to disclose its secrets.” Mumm-Ra explained, vainly attempting to hide his fury at Slythe’s insolence. “Anything that I learn from it and any power that it contains I shall of course share with you in return for your services.”

Slythe stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“Very well, Mumm-Ra. We will obtain this… box for you.” The reptilian eventually nodded in agreement.

“Good!” Mumm-Ra allowed himself a small satisfied smile before he dissolved Slythe’s image with a sweep of one hand.

He then took a step back from the round pool and opened his cloak, spreading his arms wide to appeal to the Ancient Spirits that resided within the sinister statues that surrounded him.

“Ancient Spirits of Evil!” he proclaimed. “Transform this decayed form to Mumm-Ra…. THE EVER LIVING!!!!”

Mumm-Ra cackled with maniacal laughter as the eyes of the statues glowed red and white lightning arced down to envelop him. His red cloak appeared to shred as his stature increased into a taller, more muscular and powerful form that was attired in an ornate battle dress, tattered red cape billowing about his shoulders and a golden crest about his head.

This new powerful figure rose up into the air and flew off to fetch his intended target, his evil cackle echoing in his wake.

 

The journey in the Thundertank to the Cats’ Lair took no time at all, and yet Cheetara still managed to beat them on foot.

The Doctor and Bex were in awe of the huge monolithic cat like edifice that towered over them.

Several other Thundercats were outside when they arrived. They all crowded around the Thundertank as it came to a stop outside the Lair, all eager to meet the strangers accompanying Panthro. The Doctor and Bex were greeted by four other Thundercats in all as well as some sort of creature that was a weird cross between a reptile and cat with red fur and white beard-like whiskers around the mouth.

Cheetara made the introductions. There were the two younger kittens, a boy and a girl, known as Wily Kat and Wily Kit respectively; a tall proud looking man with tiger stripes and a blue tunic called Tygra and finally the leader, Lion-O, was introduced, a towering, muscular figure with a mane of red hair, also in a blue tunic, wearing a short sword in a claw-like sheath at his side. The sword held a red gem in the hilt that bore a black cat-like iris in the centre.

The little cat creature was called Snarf.

“Is this all there is of you?” the Doctor asked as he shook Lion-O by the hand.

“I’m afraid so, yes.” Lion-O answered. “All you see here are all that survived the trip from Thundera. We are the last of the Thundercats.”

“I’m very sorry.” The Doctor replied sadly.

“We’ve managed to make a new life here on Third Earth though.” Tygra added. “We have made many friends and allies among the peoples of this world. If it wasn’t for the occasional trouble we get from the Mutants and Mumm-Ra you could say that we live a pretty peaceful and idyllic existence here.”

“Is Mumm-Ra the leader of the Mutants?” Bex asked.

“No, he’s much worse.” Panthro chuckled. “He’s more of a home grown thorn in our side. Occasionally he and the Mutants will team up and work together, but if they ever truly worked together as a team then we’d be in real trouble!”

“Ah, I think I see what you mean.” The Doctor said with a knowing smile.

“Perhaps you’d like me to give you a tour of the Cats’ Lair?” Tygra offered. “I am after all the one that designed it.”

“Not so fast, Tygra.” Panthro laid a hand upon his shoulder good naturedly. “The Doctor and Bex seem friendly enough, but we’ve been fooled by Mumm-Ra’s tricks before. Until we can be certain you’re not a threat then I’ll be accompanying you with Tygra on his little tour.”

“I understand.” The Doctor nodded.

“Are you sure that’s necessary, Panthro?” Lion-O questioned him.

“Need I remind you, Lion-O of Pumm-Ra?” Panthro said with a raised eyebrow.

“Ah, say no more.” Lion-O answered sheepishly.

And so with that agreed the Doctor and Bex were led inside the Cats’ Lair by Tygra and Panthro.

They were unaware of evil eyes watching from afar.

 

Inside the Cat’s Lair Bex had a question for their two feline hosts.

“So what was that all about back there?” she asked rather bluntly.

“What was what all about?” Tygra wondered.

“Panthro undermining Lion-O like that! I thought Lion-O was supposed to be your leader?” she replied.

Panthro and Tygra looked at each other, but it was Tygra that answered.

“When we fled the destruction of Thundera Lion-O was just a boy. We had a long space journey ahead of us so it was necessary for us to go into suspended animation. Now I’m sure you’re aware that suspended animation is supposed to halt or at least slow down the aging process, but due to some fault in Lion-O’s capsule by the time we reached Third Earth Lion-O had matured into the man that you met today. However, mentally he is still a child. Lion-O maybe the Lord of the Thundercats in name, but he still has a lot to learn about leadership and the responsibilities that it entails. That is why Panthro, Cheetara and I act as counsellors to guide his leadership.” Tygra explained.

“I see.” Bex nodded. “I’m sorry I was a little blunt. I didn’t know.”

“That’s okay.” Panthro smiled kindly.

“You know, I’m sure this place is fascinating and all, but what I’d really like to do is spend some time getting to know Cheetara!” Bex remarked, her cheeks turning scarlet as she spoke. “You think you can make that happen?”

Panthro let out a hearty laugh and clapped Bex on the shoulder.

“Come one, I’ll take you to her. I’m sure Tygra and the Doctor will get along just fine without us.” He said and led her away.

The Doctor watched her go before turning back to Tygra.

“Now I wonder if we can get a look inside that big cat’s head?” he wondered.

 

It hadn’t taken long for Panthro to locate Cheetara and he had left a profusely blushing Bex in her company, laughing in good humour as he departed. Cheetara had been outside the lair in some nearby woods and she was picking some colourfully delicious looking fruits from the trees and bushes.

Now Bex stood at the foot of one these trees holding a basket whilst Cheetara had climbed up and was dropping fruit down into it.

“I have to confess that I am intrigued as to why you find me so fascinating?” Cheetara called down as she tossed down another fruit.

Bex had to shift her basket slightly to the left to catch the falling fruit as she fumbled inside her befuddled brain for an answer, whilst simultaneously being unable to tear her eyes away from Cheetara’s toned and athletic figure. In the end Bex decided to try for the truth.

“What would you say if I told you that I’m attracted to you? I mean physically!” Bex confessed.

She was startled when Cheetara suddenly jumped down from the tree and landed gracefully beside her. Her feline features spread into that predatory smile that made Bex’s insides turn somersaults and she felt herself moisten ever so slightly.

Then suddenly a bolt of lightning shot out of nowhere striking both women and they collapsed at the foot of the tree, unconscious.

Mumm-Ra stepped out of his hiding place and snatched up the prone form of Bex, leaving Cheetara where she lay. He had wanted to grab the male stranger, but once he had disappeared into the Cats’ Lair with those accursed Thundercats he had passed out of Mumm-Ra’s reach. Fortune had smiled upon him when the young girl had come out to spend time with Cheetara. The young girl would serve as a hostage to bring the male stranger into his clutches.

Mumm-Ra flew off back to his pyramid with Bex in his arms.

 

The Doctor was being shown the cat’s eye view from the main control room that looked out on the beautiful landscape of Third Earth when Cheetara came running in.

“Bex has been taken by Mumm-Ra!” she told them urgently.

“Are you sure it was Mumm-Ra?” Tygra asked.

“You get to a point when being shocked by one of his energy bolts becomes as familiar as an old friend!” Cheetara replied with a wry smile.

“But why would he kidnap the Doctor’s friend?” Tygra wondered.

“I think I can answer that one.” The Doctor mused grimly. “He must want me for some reason, but since I was safe in here he took Bex instead, knowing that I’d come after her.”

“Do you know why Mumm-Ra would be interested in you?” Cheetara asked.

“I can only think that he must know about my TARDIS, my space/time machine. He could easily steal it, but he wouldn’t be able to operate it or even get inside it without me! He must have observed our arrival on your planet.” The Doctor surmised.

“Don’t worry, Doctor. You can count on the Thundercats’ help to get both your TARDIS and Bex back safely.” Tygra assured him.

“Thank you.” The Doctor smiled gratefully. “Is there any way that we can check from here if the TARDIS is even missing?”

“We can use the long range visual scanners to check from up here.” Tygra replied and he began to operate the controls. “Whereabouts did you arrive?”

“It was on the edge of a forest not far from where we were attacked by Monkian and where we met Cheetara.” The Doctor told him.

“The Forest of Silence!” Cheetara said.

Tygra zoomed the scanner in on the appropriate area. The ocular drone that relayed pictures back to the control room swept the entire perimeter of the forest.

“It’s not there!” the Doctor confirmed.

“I’ll gather the rest of the Thundercats!” Cheetara proclaimed. “We’ll meet you by the Thundertank.” Then she was gone in a blur of orange and yellow.

“Where are we going?” the Doctor wondered.

“To Mumm-Ra’s pyramid!” came Tygra’s reply.

 

Bex awoke to find herself lying on a stone altar in a darkened chamber. She still felt a little sluggish from the electrical jolt that she had received, but she managed to prop herself up into a seated position so that she could look at her surroundings.

The first thing that she saw was the TARDIS standing over in a far corner illuminated only by the torch braziers fastened to the stone walls. Any elation that she might have felt on seeing the familiar blue police box was quickly dispelled by the trio of ugly figures standing around it. She recognised one of them as the monkey guy that had almost shish-kebabed her earlier with his spiky ball. Cheetara had called him Monkian.

Cheetara!

Was she here too? There was no sign of her. Bex hoped that she was okay.

The other two uglies were a squat lizard looking guy and a scrawny looking jackal faced dude.

Were they the ones that had shocked her and Cheetara? Why had they taken her, but not the Thundercat?

Over off to the other side of the chamber there was a bubbling pool and beyond that a ruby red sarcophagus stood in an alcove. Sinister statues lined the chamber overlooking the pool and sarcophagus.

At the moment the uglies were all focussed on the TARDIS and hadn’t even noticed that she was awake. This would be the perfect opportunity to sneak away.

And go where? She didn’t know the way out of here and even if she did find a way then she’d never be able to find the Doctor. It would be better to buy time here and wait around to be rescued. Eventually.

With this plan in mind she decided to engage her ugly captors.

“You know I’m fairly certain you guys may have ruined my chance for a huge make out session with Cheetara earlier!” she called over to them. “Rude much?”

The jackal faced dude was the first to look around at her.

“Welcome back to the land of the living!” he cackled in a really irritating high pitched voice.

Reptile guy and Monkian also turned.

“I owe you a smashing! Ooh ooh!” Monkian leered.

“Mind if I take a rain check on that?” Bex asked with a sweet smile.

“I like this girl!” the reptile man enthused. “She has spirit, yessss!”

“Can’t I just smash her a little? Ooh!” Monkian asked.

“She is our bargaining chip.” Reptile man continued. “For now we need her in one piece, yessss.”

So lizard guy is in charge, Bex noted.

“I don’t suppose that you know how to get into this machine?” the jackal dude wondered.

Bex tried not to let her face betray her, keeping her expression as blank and neutral as possible.

The Doctor had given her a key of her own very early on during their travels together, but she wasn’t about to tell them that and it was all she could do to prevent her hand from unconsciously touching the chain around her neck on which the key was kept.

“I’m afraid not.” She lied. “I don’t know why the Doctor won’t trust me with my own key? I guess it’s a safety precaution in case I ever get kidnapped by a bunch of losers.” She paused for effect. “Well what do you know!”

“Please let me just bruise her a little, Slythe?” Monkian pleaded.

“Once the secrets of this machine are ours you can have her as a plaything, Monkian, but until then hands off! Yesss!” Slythe snarled irritably.

Bex silently prayed that the Doctor and the Thundercats would get there soon.

 

The Thundertank skidded to a halt outside Mumm-Ra’s pyramid and everyone that had been in it (the Doctor, Lion-O, Tygra, Snarf and Panthro) piled out. Cheetara had sprinted alongside them and pulled up at the same time they did without even looking slightly out of breath. Wily Kit and Kat had followed on their hover boards.

No sooner had they arrived than one of the huge stones that made up the pyramid slid upwards to admit them.

“It seems we’re expected!” the Doctor observed.

Lion-O took out his short sword (the Doctor had been told that this was the sacred Sword of Omens and that the red gem was the Eye of Thundera).

“I will see if the sword can show us what to expect inside.” The Lord of the Thundercats declared.

He held the hilt of the sword up to his eyes and the sides curved up like the eye pieces of binoculars.

“Sword of Omens give me sight… Sight beyond sight!” Lion-O proclaimed.

The Eye of Thundera glowed and pulsated and an odd growling noise was heard.

An image appeared in Lion-O’s mind of Bex being struck down by a cruel backhanded blow from Monkian.

Lion-O lowered the sword grimly.

“We need to move fast!” he urged. “Bex is in trouble!”

Cheetara was already gone in a blur before he had barely finished speaking.

 

Monkian lifted Bex’s prone form back onto the altar where she had originally awakened, chuckling cruelly as he did so. Slythe and Jackal-Man looked on impassively.

And then for the second time that day Monkian found himself on his ass as he was knocked over by the whirlwind force of nature that was Cheetara.

Monkian snarled angrily.

“I’m not going to let you get away with that this time, Kitty-Kat!” he promised as he sprang to his feet.

Meanwhile the other Thundercats and the Doctor had also arrived.

Slythe wheeled out a huge looking cannon from a nearby alcove and began to fire upon them.

The Thundercats scattered.

Monkian dived at Cheetara in an effort to grab her and grapple her to the ground with his brute strength, but every time he did so the Thundercat was no longer there.

“It feels to me like you’re moving in slow motion, Monkey-Brain!” Cheetara chuckled as she gave him the run around.

Monkian was getting increasingly frustrated and his attempts to grab her grew more savage with each passing moment until one of his attacks carried him too far into the nearby wall and he ended up lying prone on the floor in a dazed stupor.

Cheetara immediately rushed to revive Bex once she was certain that Monkian no longer posed any threat.

Slythe was keeping the other Thundercats busy with his cannon while Jackal-Man found himself besieged by the Thunderkittens on their hover boards.

They flew around him causing him to twist and turn in his efforts to thwart them with the net-launcher he wielded.

Wily Kit was able to use her lariat to lasso the weapon from his hands and then Wily Kat managed to get a loop around Jackal-Man’s left ankle, hoisting him up into the air before unceremoniously dumping him back down again so that he landed on his head and was knocked out cold.

“These guys are so dumb I almost feel sorry for them!” Wily Kit chuckled.

Now they only had the leader, Slythe to contend with, but one other thing bothered Lion-O… Where was Mumm-Ra?

The Doctor was in awe watching the Thundercats in action. He could probably have helped to deactivate Slythe’s cannon with his sonic, but he was having too much fun watching his new friends in action and Bex at least was safe now.

Lion-O stood before Slythe, right in the line of fire, and deflected a full on blast from his claw-shield. Then he raised the short blade of the Sword of Omens above his head.

“Thunder, Thunder, Thunder… Thundercats HO!!!!” he shouted.

With each ‘Thunder’ the blade of the sword grew longer and the cat’s eye of the gem morphed into the same cat headed logo that each of the Thundercats wore on their tunics. Lion-O then lowered the sword in a two handed grip and unleashed a devastating energy blast from the sword right at Slythe’s cannon.

The cannon exploded and threw Slythe onto his back.

The reptilian leader scrambled to his feet quickly and he was joined by his two compatriots.

They took one look at the Thundercats and fled.

The battle won the Thundercats were only too happy to let them leave, but Mumm-Ra’s absence still niggled at Lion-O. The sarcophagus in which he usually resided was sealed shut.

The Doctor had joined Bex and Cheetara, the Time Lord enveloping his friend in a hug.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“I will be.” Bex smiled at him. “If it’s all the same to you, I think I’d like to go home now.” She added with a longing look at the TARDIS.

“Of course.” The Doctor gave her a chaste kiss on the forehead. “But first I think we should thank our new friends don’t you?”

“Where are my manners?” Bex grinned and she disengaged from the Doctor and walked up to Lion-O to give him kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for all your help, Lion-O.”

Cheetara frowned, but said nothing.

The Doctor also turned to address their new friends.

“I really can’t thank you all enough for helping me get my friend and my TARDIS back.” He said. “The least I could do is let you all take a look inside before we go?”

Bex smiled eagerly.

“Do you want to do the honours, Bex and let them in with your key?” the Doctor added.

Bex frowned.

“My key…” she stammered. “I… I must have dropped it when Mumm-Ra grabbed me outside the Lair.”

That’s okay.” The Doctor smiled. “You can use mine.” And he handed her his key.

Bex accepted the key from him gratefully and crossed to the doors of the TARDIS. She slipped the key into the lock and turned it.

A massive jolt of electricity surged into Bex’s body and she screamed in pain, letting go of the key.

Bex’s scream became more like the enraged howl of Mumm-Ra and in a flash of magical energy suddenly the Litch Lord was stood before them in Bex’s place.

“How did you know?” Mumm-Ra snarled in frustration.

“Bex would never have kissed Lion-O.” the Doctor explained. “She would have gone for Cheetara!”

“Where is Bex?” Cheetara demanded.

With a gesture of Mumm-Ra’s hand the lid of the sarcophagus slid aside and Bex tumbled out of it.

Cheetara dashed forward and caught her up in her arms.

“One way or another you will yield your secrets to me!!!” Mumm-Ra raged and he unleashed a lightning attack that brought the Doctor to his knees screaming in agony.

Lion-O stepped in between the Doctor and Mumm-Ra, deflecting the blast with his claw-shield.

In that moment Mumm-Ra caught sight of his reflection in the shiny surface of the shield and he recoiled hissing in horror. He immediately reverted back to his mummified state and shrank back into his sarcophagus.

“You may have defeated me this time, but Mumm-Ra has been waiting for thousands of years. One day I will be victorious even if it takes another thousand years. I have patience, for so long as there is evil Mumm-Ra lives… Mumm-Ra LIVES!!!!!” as he proclaimed this the lid of the sarcophagus slid shut and sealed him inside.

“Has he definitely gone now?” it was Bex who spoke up.

The Doctor turned and grinned at her joyously.

“Welcome back Bex!” he said happily. Then he turned to their new Thundercat friends. “Thank you all for your help. That offer to take a peek inside the TARDIS still stands if you’re interested.”

Tygra stepped forward. “I know I am.” He said. “Just what is so special about this blue box?”

“Why don’t you do the honours of opening the door so you can see for yourself?” the Doctor suggested.

Tygra hesitated, remembering what had happened to Mumm-Ra.

“Don’t worry,” the Doctor assured him. “I’ve deactivated the security system.” He held up a little black remote control that he’d produced from his pocket. When he had taken his key out earlier he had surreptitiously switched on the security system at the same time.

Tygra turned the key and opened the door then stepped inside.

“By Thundera!” he exclaimed as he took in the vast control room within.

Panthro, Lion-O, Snarf, the Thunderkittens then finally the Doctor, Bex and Cheetara followed him inside.

The door closed behind them and moments later a howling and grinding noise filled the air and the TARDIS faded slowly from Mumm-Ra’s inner sanctum.

To reappear moments later beside the Thundertank outside. The door opened and the Doctor and Bex exited with a gang of awed Thundercats behind them.

“So short hops from inside a pyramid to outside a pyramid are no problem at all, but when it comes to getting back to your pregnant girlfriend on time…” Bex was drawling sarcastically.

“Shut it, you!” the Doctor told her with a grin.

“The TARDIS is truly amazing!” Tygra said with wonder.

“I’m definitely glad we kept Mumm-Ra from getting his grubby mitts on it!” Panthro chuckled.

“Right, well I guess we’d best be off!” the Doctor announced somewhat ruefully. “Bex and I have an appointment that we need to keep.”

Lion-O stepped forward and shook the Doctor by the hand.

“You’ll always have a welcome among the Thundercats if you’re ever passing by Third Earth again.” He said.

“Thank you.” The Doctor replied. “Maybe I’ll bring Clover back for a visit after the baby is born.”

The Doctor bid farewell to the other Thundercats and turned to enter the TARDIS.

“Ready, Bex?” he asked.

“Just a minute, Doc.” Bex grinned. “I got me one more thing I need to do.”

And with that she marched right up to Cheetara, grabbed a handful of her leotard and pulled her down into a passionate kiss.

After what seemed like an age Bex finally broke off with a deliriously satisfied smile.

“I’ll definitely be coming back for some more of that!” she sighed and then she followed the Doctor into the TARDIS.

Cheetara just watched her go, her tawny, feline complexion flushed with crimson.

A few seconds later the howling and grinding noise split the air and the TARDIS was once again on its way.

 

Ramona and Aiko were still stood in Clover’s bedroom after the departure of the Master’s TARDIS. However, instead of fading the materialisation noise was only getting louder… and then the familiar blue box of the TARDIS reappeared. Was the Master coming back again so soon?

The door opened and the Doctor’s smiling face appeared.

“Where’s Clover?” he asked. Then he saw the serious faces on Ramona and Aiko and he asked again…

“Where’s Clover?”

 

**To be Continued…**


End file.
